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The U.S. men's national team discovered its final Group D rival on Tuesday, as Türkiye secured a spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a 1–0 victory over Kosovo in Pristina, Kosovo.
The win represents Türkiye's fourth-ever World Cup qualification and their first in 24 years, having last appeared at the tournament in South Korea and Japan in 2002.
That previous World Cup campaign saw the side claim third place, defeating co-hosts Japan and England along the way. Since then, Türkiye failed to qualify for each of the following four tournaments, before Tuesday's joyous away triumph.
Claiming the final berth in Group D, Türkiye will kick off the tournament against Australia at BC Place in Vancouver on June 13, then take on Paraguay on June 19 at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, before wrapping up the group stage on June 25 in Los Angeles at SoFi Stadium against the USMNT.
Türkiye return to the #FIFAWorldCup for the first time since 2002! 🏆🇹🇷 pic.twitter.com/bwlLWxNLiF
Currently sitting 24th in the FIFA World Rankings, Türkiye entered the UEFA Path C bracket as favorites, edging past Romania with a 1–0 result in the semifinal before delivering a stunning blow to Kosovo's passionate crowd at Fadil Vokrri Stadium.
Türkiye's standout players include Real Madrid midfielder Arda Güler and Juventus winger Kenan Yıldız, two talents expected to guide the side into the knockout rounds this summer. Both Güler and Yıldız came off the bench during their 2–1 victory over the USMNT in June 2025 ahead of the Concacaf Gold Cup.
The USMNT now has a clear picture of its full path, and with American stars Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie spearheading the squad under highly-respected manager Mauricio Pochettino, the team will be aiming for a deep run on home turf.
USMNT World Cup Group D: Dates, Opponents, Locations
Group D: Game 1
Group D: Game 2
Group D: Game 3
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Ben Steiner is an American-Canadian journalist with extensive experience covering North American national teams, MLS, CPL, NWSL, NSL, and Liga MX for major outlets including MLSsoccer.com, CBC Sports, and OneSoccer.